Adjustable barrel tuning apparatus for use with a woodwind musical instrument

Abstract

An apparatus for varying the length of the barrel of a woodwind musical instrument by providing adjustability in the length thereof which includes two tubular members which are telescopingly movable with respect to one another and include a primary gear rack mounted on the second tubular member and a rotatably movable adjustment wheel mounted on the first tubular member with a gear fixedly secured to the adjustment wheel and in engagement with respect to the teeth of the primary gear rack such that movement of the adjustment wheel will cause movement of the primary gear rack and relative movement between the first and second tubular member for adjusting or tuning of the length between the first and second tubular members. Each tubular member defines a bore extending centrally therealong which is coincident on the same longitudinally extending bore axis. A locking device is included for selectively fixedly securing the first and second tubular members with respect to one another as desired. Also a first longitudinal orientation device is positioned on the first tubular member and a second orientation device is positioned on the second tubular member to prevent relative rotational movement thereof to prevent rotational movement therebetween and allow only axial tuning movement therebetween. The longitudinal orientation means will preferably include a key and engaging key slot configuration defined on the two tubular members.

I claim: 
     
       1. An adjustable barrel tuning apparatus for use with a woodwind musical instrument comprising: A. a first tubular member defining a first bore extending longitudinally and axially therethrough, said first tubular member defining a first bore upper end and a first bore lower end thereon;   B. a second tubular member defining a second bore extending longitudinally and axially therethrough, said second tubular member being in movable engagement with said first tubular member to be telescopingly slidable with respect thereto, said first bore and said second bore being oriented with the longitudinally extending axes thereof being coincident, said second tubular member defining a second bore upper end and a second bore lower end thereon;   C. a primary gear rack fixedly secured to said second tubular member and extending longitudinally therealong;   D. an adjustment wheel rotatably mounted on said first tubular member, said adjustment wheel including a gear fixedly secured thereto and positioned in engagement with said primary gear rack, said adjustment wheel being responsive to rotational movement thereof to urge telescoping movement of said first tubular member axially and longitudinally with respect to said second tubular member to provide adjustability in tuning for a woodwind musical instrument by varying the spatial relationship between said first bore upper end and said second bore lower end;   E. a locking means positioned between said first tubular member and said second tubular member and adapted to detachably secure said first tubular member to said second tubular member to restrict relative movement therebetween;   F. a first longitudinal orientation device fixedly attached to said first tubular member, said first longitudinal orientation device including at least one key member extending longitudinally along said first tubular member; and   G. a second longitudinal orientation device fixedly attached to said second tubular member and in engagement with said first longitudinal orientation device to restrict relative rotational movement between said first tubular member and said second tubular member, said second longitudinal orientation device including at least one key slot extending longitudinally along said second tubular member, said key member and said key slot being engageable to one another to restrict relative rotational movement of said first tubular member with respect to said second tubular member.   
     
     
       2. An adjustable barrel tuning apparatus for use with a woodwind musical instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein said adjustment wheel comprises two adjustment wheel members rotatably mounted with respect to said first tubular member with said gear fixedly secured therebetween. 
     
     
       3. An adjustable barrel tuning apparatus for use with a woodwind musical instrument as defined in claim 1 further comprising a tactile indicator movably secured to said first tubular member and extending outwardly therefrom into abutting contact with said gear and being adapted to provide audible indication of increments of movement of said first tubular member with respect to said second tubular member, said tactile indicator including an indicator biasing means urging said tactile indicator into abutting contact with said gear. 
     
     
       4. An adjustable barrel tuning apparatus for use with a woodwind musical instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein said at least one key member includes two key members and wherein said at least one key slots includes two key slots defined therein being slidably engageable with respect to said two key members. 
     
     
       5. An adjustable barrel tuning apparatus for use with a woodwind musical instrument as defined in claim 1 further comprising an extension limit means comprising: A. a locking shoulder located on said first tubular member; and   B. a stepped slot defined in said second tubular member and adapted to receive said locking shoulder therein responsive to said key member of said first tubular member being moved within said key slot defined in said second tubular member to the fully extended position with said first bore upper end being positioned at the maximum required distance from said second bore lower end.   
     
     
       6. An adjustable barrel tuning apparatus for use with a woodwind musical instrument as defined in claim 1 further comprising distance reference indicia positioned on said second tubular member adjacent said key member of said first tubular member to indicate the spatial distance between said first bore upper end of said first tubular member and said second bore lower end of said second tubular member and facilitate adjustment therebetween. 
     
     
       7. An adjustable barrel tuning apparatus for use with a woodwind musical instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises: A. a locking slot defined between said first tubular member and said second tubular member; and   B. a locking slide member movably positioned within said locking slot and being slidable between a locking position wedged into simultaneous abutting contact with said first tubular member and said second tubular member and an unlocked positioned allowing relative movement between said first tubular member and said second tubular member.   
     
     
       8. An adjustable barrel tuning apparatus for use with a woodwind musical instrument as defined in claim 7 wherein said first tubular member is angularly tapered adjacent said locking slot defined therein to facilitate wedging of said locking slide member into simultaneous abutting contact with said first tubular member and said second tubular member responsive to said locking slide member being in the locked position. 
     
     
       9. An adjustable barrel tuning apparatus for use with a woodwind musical instrument as defined in claim 7 wherein said locking slot extends longitudinally between said first tubular member and said second tubular member and wherein said locking slide member is longitudinally slidable therewithin. 
     
     
       10. An adjustable barrel tuning apparatus for use with a woodwind musical instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises: A. a secondary gear rack fixedly secured to said second tubular member to be moveable therewith;   B. a pawl pivotally mounted on said first tubular member and being engageable with said secondary gear rack to selectively restrict movement of said first tubular member with respect to said second tubular member, said pawl comprising: (1) a pivot arm movably mounted on said first tubular member to be pivotable with respect thereto, said pivot arm including a first pivot arm section and a second pivot arm section, said second pivot arm section being engageable with said secondary gear rack to restrict movement of said first tubular member with respect to said second tubular member;   (2) a gear engagement means mounted on said second pivot arm section, said gear engagement means being positionable adjacent said secondary gear rack for selective engagement therewith to restrict movement of said first tubular member with respect to said second tubular member; and   (3) a release tab positioned on said fist pivot arm section and being responsive to force being exerted thereagainst to pivot said pivot arm to move said gear engagement means out of engagement with said secondary gear rack and allow longitudinal axial movement of said first tubular member with respect to said second tubular member.     
     
     
       11. An adjustable barrel tuning apparatus for use with a woodwind musical instrument as defined in claim 10 further comprising a pawl biasing means attached to said pawl and said first tubular member and being adapted to urge said gear engagement means on said second pivot arm section of said pawl into engagement with said secondary gear rack. 
     
     
       12. An adjustable barrel tuning apparatus for use with a woodwind musical instrument as defined in claim 11 wherein said pawl biasing means comprises a flat spring positioned between said gear engagement means of said pawl and said first tubular member. 
     
     
       13. An adjustable barrel tuning apparatus for use with a woodwind musical instrument as defined in claim 12 wherein said flat spring is attached to said first tubular member and is responsive to abutment with said gear engagement means for urging thereof toward said secondary gear rack to facilitate engagement therewith. 
     
     
       14. An adjustable barrel tuning apparatus for use with a woodwind musical instrument as defined in claim 12 wherein said flat spring is attached to said gear engagement means and is responsive to abutment with said first tubular member for urging of said gear engagement means toward said secondary gear rack to facilitate engagement therewith. 
     
     
       15. An adjustable barrel tuning apparatus for use with a woodwind musical instrument as defined in claim 10 wherein said gear engagement means is pivotally mounted with respect to said second pivot arm section to facilitate engagement and disengagement thereof with respect to said secondary gear rack. 
     
     
       16. An adjustable barrel tuning apparatus for use with a woodwind musical instrument as defined in claim 10 wherein said second pivot arm section is flexibly resilient to facilitate disengagement thereof from said secondary gear rack. 
     
     
       17. An adjustable barrel tuning apparatus for use with a woodwind musical instrument as defined in claim 1 further comprising a tactile indicator movably secured to said first tubular member and extending outwardly therefrom into abutting contact with said primary gear rack and being adapted to provide audible indication of increments of movement of said first tubular member with respect to said second tubular member, said tactile indicator including an indicator biasing means urging said tactile indicator into abutting contact with said primary gear rack. 
     
     
       18. An adjustable barrel tuning apparatus for use with a woodwind musical instrument comprising: A. a first tubular member defining a first bore extending longitudinally and axially therethrough, said first tubular member defining a first bore upper end and a first bore lower end thereon, said first tubular member including an upper tubular member;   B. a second tubular member defining a second bore extending longitudinally and axially therethrough, said second tubular member being in movable engagement with said first tubular member to be telescopingly slidable with respect thereto, said first bore and said second bore being oriented with the longitudinally extending axes thereof being coincident, said second tubular member defining a second bore upper end and a second bore lower end thereon;   C. a primary gear rack fixedly secured to said second tubular member and extending longitudinally therealong;   D. an adjustment wheel rotatably mounted on said first tubular member, said adjustment wheel including two adjustment wheel members rotatably mounted to said first tubular member, said adjustment wheel further including a gear fixedly secured between said two adjustment wheel members and positioned in engagement with said primary gear rack, said adjustment wheel being responsive to rotational movement thereof to urge telescoping movement of said first tubular member axially and longitudinally with respect to said second tubular member to provide adjustability in tuning for a woodwind musical instrument by varying the spatial relationship between said first bore upper end and said second bore lower end;   E. a locking means positioned between said first tubular member and said second tubular member and adapted to detachably secure said first tubular member to said second tubular member to restrict relative movement therebetween, said locking means comprising: (1) a locking slot defined between said first tubular member and said second tubular member and extending longitudinally therealong, said first tubular member being angularly tapered adjacent said locking slot;   (2) a locking slide member movably positioned within said locking slot and being slidable between a locking position wedged into simultaneous abutting contact with said first tubular member and said second tubular member and an unlocked positioned allowing relative movement between said first tubular member and said second tubular member, said locking slide member being slidable to a position adjacent said first tubular member adjacent the angularly tapered section thereof to facilitate wedging thereof into the locked position;     F. a first longitudinal orientation device fixedly attached to said first tubular member and comprising two key members extending longitudinally along said first tubular member;   G. a second longitudinal orientation device fixedly attached to said second tubular member and in engagement with said first longitudinal orientation device to restrict relative rotational movement of said first tubular member with respect to said second tubular member, said second longitudinal orientation device including a two key slots extending longitudinally along said second tubular member, said two key members and said two key slots being engageable with respect to one another to restrict rotational movement of said first tubular member with respect to said second tubular member;   H. a tactile indicator movably secured to said first tubular member and extending outwardly therefrom into abutment with said primary gear rack and being adapted to provide audible indication of increments of relative movement between said first tubular member and said second tubular member, said tactile indicator including an indicator biasing means urging said tactile indicator into abutment with said primary gear rack;   I. an extension limit means to restrict the maximum extend of movement of said first tubular member with respect to said second tubular member which comprises: (1) a locking shoulder located on said first tubular member;   (2) a stepped slot defined in said second tubular member and adapted to receive said locking shoulder therein responsive to said key member of said first tubular member being moved within said key slot defined in said second tubular member to the fully extended position with said first bore upper end being positioned at the maximum required distance from said second bore lower end; and     J. distance reference indicia positioned on said second tubular member adjacent said key member of said first tubular member to indicate the spatial distance between said first bore upper end of said first tubular member and said second bore lower end of said second tubular member and facilitate adjustment therebetween.   
     
     
       19. An adjustable barrel tuning apparatus for use with a woodwind musical instrument comprising: A. a first tubular member defining a first bore extending longitudinally and axially therethrough, said first tubular member defining a first bore upper end and a first bore lower end thereon, said first tubular member including an upper tubular member;   B. a second tubular member defining a second bore extending longitudinally and axially therethrough, said second tubular member being in movable engagement with said first tubular member to be telescopingly slidable with respect thereto, said first bore and said second bore being oriented with the longitudinally extending axes thereof being coincident, said second tubular member defining a second bore upper end and a second bore lower end thereon, said second tubular member including a lower tubular member in moveable engagement with said upper tubular member, said first tubular member and said second tubular member being telescopingly slidable with respect to one another to provide adjustability in the distance between said first bore upper end and said second bore lower end and facilitate tuning of a woodwind musical instrument;   C. a primary gear rack fixedly secured to said second tubular member and extending longitudinally therealong;   D. a secondary gear rack fixedly secured to said second tubular member and extending longitudinally therealong, said second gear rack being positioned spatially distant from said primary gear rack;   E. an adjustment wheel rotatably mounted on said first tubular member, said adjustment wheel including two adjustment wheel members rotatably mounted to said first tubular member, said adjustment wheel further including a gear fixedly secured between said two adjustment wheel members and positioned in engagement with said primary gear rack, said adjustment wheel being responsive to rotational movement thereof to urge telescoping movement of said first tubular member axially and longitudinally with respect to said second tubular member to provide adjustability in tuning for a woodwind musical instrument by varying the spatial relationship between said first bore upper end and said second bore lower end;   F. a locking means positioned between said first tubular member and said second tubular member and adapted to detachably secure said first tubular member to said second tubular member to restrict relative movement therebetween, said locking means comprising; (1) a pawl pivotally mounted on said first tubular member and being engageable with said secondary gear rack to selectively restrict movement of said first tubular member with respect to said second tubular member, said pawl comprising: (a) a pivot arm pivotally mounted on said first tubular member, said pivot arm including a first pivot arm section and a second pivot arm section, said second pivot arm section being engageable with said secondary gear rack to restrict movement of said first tubular member with respect to said second tubular member, said second pivot arm section being flexibly resilient to facilitate engagement and release from engagement with said secondary gear rack;   (b) a gear engagement means mounted on said second pivot arm section, said gear engagement means being positionable adjacent said secondary gear rack for selective engagement therewith to restrict movement of said first tubular member with respect to said second tubular member; and   (c) a release tab positioned on said first pivot arm section and being responsive to force being exerted thereagainst to pivot said pivot arm to move said gear engagement means out of engagement with said secondary gear rack and allow longitudinal axial movement of said first tubular member with respect to said second tubular member;     (2) a pawl biasing means attached to said pawl and said first tubular member and being adapted to urge said gear engagement means on said second pivot arm section of said pawl into engagement with said secondary gear rack, said pawl biasing means comprising a flat spring positioned between said pawl and said first tubular member;     G. a first longitudinal orientation device fixedly attached to said first tubular member and comprising two key members extending longitudinally along said first tubular member;   H. a second longitudinal orientation device fixedly attached to said second tubular member and in engagement with said first longitudinal orientation device to restrict relative rotational movement between said first tubular member and said second tubular member, said second longitudinal orientation device including a two key slots extending longitudinally along said second tubular member, said two key members and said two key slots being engageable with one another to restrict rotational movement of said first tubular member with respect to said second tubular member;   I. a tactile indicator movably secured to said first tubular member and extending outwardly therefrom into abutting contact with said primary gear rack and being adapted to provide audible indication of increments of movement of said first tubular member with respect to said second tubular member, said tactile indicator including an indicator biasing means urging said tactile indicator into abutting contact with said primary gear rack;   J. an extension limit means to restrict the maximum extend of movement of said first tubular member with respect to said second tubular member which comprises: (1) a locking shoulder located on said first tubular member;   (2) a stepped slot defined in said second tubular member and adapted to receive said locking shoulder therein responsive to said key member of said first tubular member being moved within said key slot defined in said second tubular member to the fully extended position with said first bore upper end being positioned at the maximum required distance from said second bore lower end; and     K. distance reference indicia positioned on said second tubular member adjacent said key member of said first tubular member to indicate the spatial distance between said first bore upper end of said first tubular member and said second bore lower end of said second tubular member and facilitate adjustment therebetween.